I'll Do You Proud
by shadow-of-doubtfulness
Summary: What if Dojo had died during the events of the movie? How would Iku react? These questions are answered here. Warning character death.


Iku's Point of View

He was shot in the leg. The bullet went right through it, and bled endlessly. I tried to soak up the blood, but I couldn't stop the bleeding. We were trying to get Mr. Tohma to an embassy for his protection. In the rush for protection from the Media Betterment Committee, they had shot Dojo, the man I loved, in the thigh.

The thigh is one of the worst places to get shot in, I learned later. If you get shot there, you may lose the ability to walk normally again. If only they shot him in a place covered by his vest. I wished that they never shot him, but I know I can't take back the past. I can never change it so that they would shoot him in a less vital area. Losing the use of you legs is a hard thing to go through. I know this from Commander Inamine.

But now, we were waiting to get away from the scene and to an embassy. After trying to run for a while, we eventually got into the nearest metro station. When we got to the stairs, I hoisted him onto my shoulders and ran down the stairs. I knew from the chimes that we might not make it, but we were going to do anything to get into the metro. Mister Tohma actually forced the doors open, but I ran straight into him causing for us to fall into a pile on the floor of our train.

With the doors closed behind us, we made our way over to the closest embassy; but we knew we couldn't with Dojo's wound. He suggested that we get off a stop early because he remembered a bookstore, the bookstore where that young woman worked. So we did that instead.

When we arrived, the woman was freaking out a little; but she put us upstairs in the staff lounge. I laid Dojo down on the futon that they had, and tried to make a tourniquet. I couldn't find anything, so I settled for my belt.

"Keep your belt on, you might need it."

"Don't tell me what to do now, you're bleeding too much for me to listen to your command."

"Fine, but make sure to put it on tight."

I took my belt and slid it underneath his right leg, moving the belt up to the top of his thigh. I then started to fasten the belt very tightly, so tightly that I could feel his leg throb through the leather strap. It killed me to leave him like this, he was so helpless and I could only do this small thing to help him. There was no way that we could call an ambulance without giving away our location.

"Don't cry, Iku. I don't plan on dying just yet." Dojo murmured to me. I brushed away my tears that had stained my face.

"Promise me you won't die, I won't forgive you if you die before I get my chamomile." I choked back a sob.

Dojo moved his hands up and brought them to his collar. I stared at the place he not put his hands. He was taking off his rank pins. He took off both of them and handed them to me.

"I'm lending them to you because I cannot go with you. Put them on now, and complete our mission." He said as he touched my cheeks with cold hand, the other was in mine; giving me his pins. I took them and put them on.

"Promise to stay alive so that I can return these and tell you I love you." I said as I took his head and brought his face to my lips. He nodded with a shocked expression.

I got off of him and I headed to the door.

"Mr. Tohma, we must leave now or we'll never find an embassy that the M.B.C. hasn't tried to keep us from." I said with full courage now that Dojo has given me his word.

I left the room, never looking back at Dojo. I knew he would stay alive. I just knew it.

Dojo's Point of View

Iku's tears had fallen on my face. They were very hot on my face, where I could feel that I was losing warmth.

I had seen her cry many times, more times than I would like to admit. I was the one she'd let see her in that state, even in those times that she wanted to be alone. Many of those times that she cried, it was because of me. Maybe I'll take the time to reminisce.

There was that time when she was still a recruit, that we had to patrol the library together. That time when she went in the men's washroom to check on a suspicious figure. She "arrested" the man, but didn't secure him. She was almost stabbed. I was worried that she'd could have died had I not pushed her out of his way. In the evening, when I was drinking a beer in the common room, she came in and asked me about the report. I put her as the one who arrested the guy, but she was angry because she wasn't the one who arrested him, I was. She started to cry, and I didn't know what to do; so I patted her head hoping that it would comfort her a bit. I then left.

Another time, Iku was taken hostage with the commander. She was crying before the mission, and that was my fault. I had told her that she couldn't come with us to defend because she wouldn't be needed. She cried then, but after I saved her, there were tears in her eyes again.

As I kept going through my memories of Iku's tears, I noticed that I was the one to comfort her each time.

'Who would be there for her if I died?' I thought as my vision blurred and I began to black out.

In the darkness, I heard nothing. I could see nothing, except a faint light. So this was the death that I've been avoiding since I joined the Task Force.

"Iku, I'm sorry I broke my last promise..." I said into the darkness, as I struggled on my last breath.

Iku's Point of View

I felt successful, I had just finished my mission, our mission. Mister Tohma was finally safe, and I survived. I even had minimal injuries, just a few scrapes and scratches.

"Good job Iku, I knew you could do it." I heard behind me, but there was nobody there. It sounded like Dojo, but I knew he wasn't anywhere nearby.

"Who said that?" I asked in a whisper. Whoever was speaking to me knew my first name, but only Dojo used my first name when talking to me now.

"Iku, I'm sorry I broke my last promise..." The voice said.

I choked a sob, that voice... It was Dojo's. Dojo is dead, and I never told him that I loved him. Tears were streaming down my face and onto the pavement, my hands covering my face.

I stayed in the road, crying fro a long time. It wasn't until an hour later, when Komaki found me.

"Kasahara, why are you here still? Where is Dojo?" Komaki asked me as he put his hand on my shoulder.

I looked up at him, my face stained with tears and eyes swollen. I shook my head, and choked another sob.

"Oh, oh no. Do you think you can stand?" He asked me in a gentle but sad voice.

"If I stand, I don't know if I'll be able to hold myself together. I just don't know what to do." I said, tears streaming down my face.

Komaki got down and scooped me up. It was comforting to be held, but he wasn't the one I wanted to be held by. He carried me to the van where Tezuka was. Tezuka got out of the van quickly when he saw us.

"Lieutenant Komaki, why are you carrying her? Where's Lieutenant Dojo?"

"Call Shibasaki, we need her here ASAP." Komaki ordered.

"Fine," he said as he glanced over at me, and took out his phone.

"Kasahara, are you alright?" Tezuka asked after hanging up his phone.

I shook my head, I don't think I'll ever be alright again.

"Is it alright if I talk to him for a while, to fill him in on the situation?" Komaki asked me gently.

I nodded, I didn't have the strength to speak anymore.

'Dojo, why did you have to die? Will you at least tell me that you tried to stay awake?' I thought, hoping that I could hear his voice again. I didn't hear his voice again. I now knew that this was the end.

'I can't answer that, it's a bit too hard for anyone to answer. But I can tell you right away that I did try to stay awake. I cannot stay for much longer, but I can tell you that I love you as well. I've loved you since the day I first met you. Goodbye Iku, my little princess.' The voice said as it began to fade away.

"I must stay strong, I'll make him proud of me." I said to myself, hope filling my heart where the sadness had resided.

Nine years later...

I have been promoted to the rank of Supervising Librarian Third Class. I now match the rank of Komaki. If Dojo were still alive, he would have been so proud. He would be proud because I have not only gotten better at fighting, but also at paperwork.

I never fell in love again after his death. But I always made sure that I keep my friendships strong, and to keep myself happy even when things got me sad. Every day when I think I'll fall apart, I put on Dojo's rank pins as well as my own. I do that so I'll have his support as well as my own.

Dojo, there is no way I could ever replace you...

I love you dearly and there is no way I can ever change that.

Goodbye my love...

I'll see you, when I see you.

Author's Note

Hey guys,

I'm sorry for making any of you sad with this one-shot. This story was based on an idea that came to me when re-watching the movie. What if Dojo had died during the events? And this story was my answer. I hoped you guys liked it (even if it made you cry), and I hope to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Thanks for reading,

shadow-of-doubtfulness


End file.
